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So, what will you do if there is an open tap of water and no one is around? You might have answered to Water Management 101. Water management is controlling the usage of water along with maintaining the drainage around your property. The primary benefits of water management include reduced movement in your buildings, remover dangers of dry rot, termites as moisture can attract these devastating pests.

What Does A Drainage System Do?

Drainage systems are helpful in removing excess water from your property. This unwanted water might include rainwater, floodwater, or other kinds of runoff water. By installing a reliable drainage system, you can protect your property from water damage and structural issues.

Why Is It Important To Have A Proper Drainage System?

If the water management is poor, it can destroy your property. Water leakage can lead to multiple problems irrespective of whether it is inside or outside your property. To prevent all sorts of problems that might occur in future, it is always better to keep your drainage systems functioning at their best! Homeowners often overlook maintenance of the drainage system and because of such careless mistakes, the results of a faulty drainage system can be devastating. To name a few:

When water leakage issues are left unattended, mildews and molds starts to develop in the basement area, and the moisture is bound to attract pesky pests.

The wooden items in your home will start rotting and metal articles will get corroded as well

Pooled water areas in the property can damage the sub-flooring and flooring.

Foundation cracks, overflowing gutters and mineral deposits on walls.

The Need For Plumbing Maintenance

It is important to have your plumbing system inspected for any kind of leakages before the situation worsens. You can keep your plumbing systems functioning at their optimum levels by opting for plumbing maintenance programs on a periodic basis.

Here we have few adverse effects of bad plumbing and leaking pipes:

Faulty plumbing will result in increasing your energy and utility bills.

When plumbing leaks are left unanswered for a long period of time, mold problems are bound to occur due to the stagnant water that creates an ideal environment for the molds to grow.

Poor water quality is another problem that occurs due to a malfunctioning plumbing system.

Check The Performance Of Your Gutter System Periodically

It is crucial to inspect your complete gutter system along with downspouts in regular intervals. Whether your gutter is clogged or gets damaged, it is always important to fix your gutter problems without causing any further delay. You might end up paying a heavy price if you ignore periodic cleaning and inspection of your gutter system. Keep your gutter system functioning at its best to avoid severe water damage in future.

Drainage Swales

Drainage Swales are also known as vegetated or grassy swales. A grassed swale is a horizontal, hollow, and an organized landscape feature that is parabolic in shape. The swale can be planted with the help of grass or can also be vegetated with flood resistant, erosion tolerant plants.

When swales are designed in a proper manner, it helps in removing surface water quickly from your property and safeguards your home from flooding during heavy rains. Swales are not only helpful in bringing down the speed of the water flow but they are also effective in reducing soil erosion and thereby enhances infiltration in the soil.

Like any other landscaped area, swales also require maintenance on a regular basis which includes mowing the grass, clearance of invasive plants, leaf litter removal and other debris that could kill the grass over a period. The grass is required to decrease the speed of the water flow, ward off erosion, and encourage drainage back into the soil.

Yard Drainage

Apart from your foundation, heavy rains will also result in huge volumes of water getting stored in sump pump discharge pipes and downspouts. This will prompt various leakage and structural problems. It is always better to redirect surface water far away from your foundation to the maximum extent possible.

Grading Problems

It is always better to extend the top of the foundation above the ground level by at least a few inches when a new building is being constructed. After some time, property holders include hard surfaces that include asphalt or concrete and increase the overall landscape area. It is quite likely that the water starts leaking out of the brickwork and from the top of the foundation wall. Similar kind of a problem can happen in case your property is in a low-lying range or if a neighboring building is slanted towards you, as in both the cases water will get stored in the nearby areas of your building.

Curtain Drains

Curtain drains are nothing but trenches filled with gravel that is used to eliminate unwanted water from your home. Where swales are not functional, curtain drains can be used to obstruct the flow of water. With the help of a curtain drain, you can get rid of both surface and ground water.

Drywells

Installing a drywell is a reliable option when you are unable to safely drain away water from your property by gravity. In simple words, drywell is nothing but a hole in the ground no less than 10 ft from your building’s foundation that is filled with crushed stone or gravel. The aim of placing a drywell in your home is to gather storm overflow and allow it to gradually penetrate again into the ground.

The size and distance this is needed from the house will change according to the soil conditions and rainfall amounts. However, the measurements of a regular drywell would be 4 feet in diameter and 4 feet deep. The drywell should be lined using a heavy landscape fabric so that the clogging with silt is prevented. Fill the drywell with crushed stone, clean course gravel, and the top must be capped with the help of a landscape fabric layer and topsoil.

Does it Really Matter If There is a Tree Close by to a Building?

Although trees play a significant role in our environment, sometimes they turn out to be the cause for the destruction of the buildings. It can either be a direct damage which affects the structure of the building or an indirect damage impacting the soil moisture levels. It is essential to find out the reasons behind the building damage because once the root cause of the damage is identified the next course of action can be planned.

Take a Look at Few Important Facts

Not all trees result in damage.

The roots of the trees that spread up to three times the height of the trees seldom affect the modern buildings.

Some types of soils such as clay soil can absorb a large amount of water post rainfall making the ground sticky and heavy. During summers they can also become hard which results in shrinking and cracking of ground.

Trees Close to Your Property Can Cause Structural Damage Due to Subsidence

A characteristic of many clay soils is that they swell in volume when they get wet and retract when dry. Clay soils tend to cause structural damage since they have a high shrinkage potential. Four storey and above buildings with shallow foundations, especially those constructed before 1950 are at a higher risk.

Drain Damage

Tree roots can sometimes mess around sewer and storm water pipes. Attracted by condensation that forms around drains, tree roots can dislodge the underground pipe work. Mostly the roots can get into the drainage system through faulty joints or cracked pipes. Once in, they flourish rapidly and sometimes result in complete blockage of the drain. However, tree roots can hardly crack through a properly installed and well-maintained pipe.

Physical Damage

Trees can damage the property from underneath and above. The branches of the trees damage the roofs and guttering of the building. The buildings built on clay soil are at a higher risk as in summers they can cause cracks in the walls and floors. During winters and rainfall, they push these cracks that lead to heaving.

Cause and Control:

The clay soil shrinks maximum during summers and this process is termed as “seasonal soil moisture deficit” as generally such soils regain moisture post winter rains. These continuous seasonal changes in soil result in subsidence of the foundations and structural cracking. Such cracks probably develop around windows and doors where 5-10mm of movement is ideally needed before cracks can develop. In long run, permanent soil moisture deficit can develop if it continues getting dry year after year. Cutting down trees on such soils can sometimes lead to heaving.

Deep strong foundations will not allow the roots to penetrate.

A well-built and maintained drain won’t allow the tree roots to spread and cause harm to them.

Ways to Minimize or Prevent Damages

If you wish to plant a new tree in your yard, select a slow-growing tree species with less aggressive rooting tendencies. Do consider the size of the yard as well. Global warming being a major concern, it is time for the over cautious insurers and councils to think of other productive measures.

A particular tree might be at risk; this is never predictable as there are a lot of factors that affect subsidence. Hence, it is wise to take well-thought steps before taking any action.

Factors to Consider About Trees Near Houses and Other Buildings

In most cases, trees around the buildings will not cause damage. However, they might cause severe damage after long dry winters.

The physical threats posed by trees are either caused by falling limbs, structural failure of the main trunk or falling of trees due to heavy rains and storms apart from subsidence.

In case you own a tree near public highway or a building it is wise to get a professional survey done once in every few years. This will help you to analyze the tree’s overall health and determine if there is a need for pruning or felling.

The reports can be useful to negotiate with insurance companies and other public bodies.

Tree Legislation

The proprietor of the land is responsible for the trees on his / her property and is liable for any damage caused. It is wise to check with the Local Planning Authority whether a Tree Preservation Order is in place before you plant trees.

Want to know the impact of trees and gardens being too close to buildings? Need a solution to manage the trees? Contact us today. At Arkle & Co we provide comprehensive Engineers Reports and take care of all the necessary Council Permits and Inspections. We are fully insured and are members of the HIA. Our work is of the finest standard so much so that we put a 15-year guarantee on it.

Renovating a home is an exciting task as it gives you an opportunity to reflect your style through your home. With an efficient renovation plan, you can easily spruce up the look of your home. Besides, you can also take care of damages which if left unattended can lead to major issues and cause inconvenience later. However, before you embark on your next home renovation plan, you need to keep certain factors in mind.

The entire process of home renovation can be a tedious and stressful task. Even small issues like a delay in delivery or a measuring error can emerge into stressful problems. To ensure that you are equipped to handle any situation, you need to have a proper renovation plan in place.

This guide aims to help you prepare an efficient home renovation plan that will make the process smooth and easy for you.

1. Plan Your RenovationAn essential task is to have clarity about what exactly you are expecting out of your renovation. Make sure not to over-renovate your home with expensive finishes that are not required. Sometimes, even a simple renovation can enhance the overall look of your home.

2. Plan the BudgetThe most common issue faced while renovating a home is related to the budget. Most first-timers often find that the cost of everything is higher than expected. The best way to avoid any such budget issues is to have an emergency fund in place to meet any additional expenses that might emerge.

3. Hire a Reputed BuilderIt is necessary to do a bit of research before you finalize a builder. Make sure to go through reviews and compare the rates. You also need to check if the builders are quoting for the same inclusions. If possible, visit projects that the builder has earlier worked on and talk to their clients. Also, make sure to go only with licensed and insured builders.

4. Expect DelaysWhile it is necessary to have a well-defined renovation time frame in place, you also need to be flexible to accommodate delays. To make the process smooth, try not to plan your renovation around major family events or festivals.

5. Have a Flexible ApproachWhile you may have a specific plan in mind, new issues might emerge during the renovation process. You need to be flexible and seek expert advice to determine the most appropriate solution.
During the process of renovation, you may also come across structural issues. The renovation process may unearth problems related to underpinning, termites, electrical issues and more. Such structural checks for ascertaining damages will enable you to upgrade your home in the most efficient manner.

Are you planning to remodel your home and are looking for reliable restumping, underpinning and reveling services?

At Arkle & Co, we offer a comprehensive range of services to fix structural damages in your home. If you feel that your home requires attention, feel free to get in touch with our team. We will offer the best solution. You can call us on (03) 5253 1977, 0409 186 179 or 0403 072 329.

You can also mail us at quotes@arkle.com.au. Alternatively, you can also contact us through our online contact form.